Tag: thoughts

As I grow older my value of myself and things that I encompass increases and so does the duties and the work to ensure that the ones that I surround myself with are true.

We come in contact with many people throughout our lives and we enter into various types of relationships and friendships along the way. In going through the stages of life we must learn to discern what value these interactions hold. Not every bad relationship or friendship was or will be a waste. There was and will be a lesson to be learned in the good and the bad. Some lessons are just not as obvious as others. Me mindful of the company you keep and the company you are to others for just as you can unknowingly welcome bad company to the table so can you be the bad company that showed up to be seated. At every intersection there is a choice of which direction you should go. Try to take the one that leads you to where you are welcomed and want to be when you get there.

Time is a precious thing don’t waste it chasing those that don’t want to be caught. Some people are just mirages of what you thought was worthy of an invitation into your life. Never sacrifice your joy or your future for those that would just as well stand by and applaud your pain and misfortunes.

Live, love and laugh but keep in mind that just as you want others to be to you, you should also be to others…the road travels in both directions.

Often times we come into situations and experiences with people that leave our hearts and our homes in disarray. The challenge to coming out of these experiences and situations with our sanity and not having our lives become complete and utter chaos, is learning to identify the lesson. Making a conscience decision to find new joy on the other end. It is not always easy and we have to want to return to our happy place bad enough to allow the healing. I believe that people come into our lives for various reasons, some are good and some are not. Some are meant to stay for a spell and some are meant to remain for a life time, but whatever the reason for their visit we have to be open and cognizant of the lessons the are learned while they were there. Even in the most devastating and horrific battles of life there is the opportunity for growth and renewal, but it is up to us each individually to cease those opportunities of renewal and growth in order for the bliss and wonderful waves of renewed glory to occur.

I have constantly toyed with the question, “Which is more important Faith or Religion?”. I strongly believe that there is a difference between the two. For me “Faith” has to do with how I live my life and how my morals and beliefs dictate my day-to-day actions and interactions with other people. Whereas, Religion for me is the rituals or behaviors that I would do to enhance my Faith.

I have heard for many years, “You are a really good person, you would be the perfect Christian if you just went to church.” What the hell does that even mean? Are they saying that me being a good person is not enough to consider me a Christian? Is my poor attendance at church a mandatory requirement that somehow disproportionately gives me a pass or fail rating on the Christian grading scale? I always felt that the more important part of being a Christian was how I lived my life and loved thy neighbor. Everyone has heard the “What would Jesus do?” slogan. Well, I believe that I do a whole lot of that and I do not feel that going to church or not going to church should be a discredit to my goodwill and my dedication to being a good person. I have a strong belief in GOD and all that he is. I work really hard to show that I am appreciative all the blessings that he has provided me on a daily basis and have no shame in calling his name and introducing him to others that do not know him or refuse to acknowledge his presence. I may not go to church every Sunday but I have far less to repent for than most that do.

I believe that there is no judge as harsh as the ones that call themselves Christians. It is sad but true. If the bible teaches us not to judge and that that GOD is the only true judge. Why do we (Christians) always feel the need to do so. Is it because to look at others and place shame and call out their flaws somehow makes us feel as though we have none, or that ours or lesser in comparison? That is silly and hypocritical at best. I would always rather live my life as a Christian then go to church every Sunday and just pretend that I am. My Faith is far more important to me than my Religion ever could be. Therefore, I feel that to consider me any less of a Christian for my poor church attendance is just stupid.

Why is being faithful to someone such a hard and complicated task? People can come up with several dozen reasons on why they cheated but very few seem to be able to explain why they chose to cheat instead of just leaving the relationship. Those that can explain when pressed, can generally only come up with selfish reasons for their infidelity. They always had the choice to leave instead of cheating and hurting the one they “love” yet their choice was to cheat.

Is the rise in divorce and broken homes the result of our lack luster approach to relationships? Everyone seems to go into a relationship with an exit strategy. Even before the I dos are done and the ink is dry on the marriage certificate one or both partners have already laid out how they plan to “be okay” if this does not work out. No one seems to be really in it for the long haul. Relationships are work, marriages are hard work and you have to be committed to work through the pitfalls and the rainy days in order to appreciate the sunshine and drank the lemonade.

We must learn that cheating shows that you no longer respect are value the relationship that we are in. If you know in your heart that you are not going to be faithful, then be honest with yourself and the person that you are with and don’t bamboozle them into thinking that you will be. There are way too many people that share your same lack of commitment that you can go hook up with. Furthermore, there are too many diseases and crazy people in the world for you to be so reckless and selfish that you would put someone that has placed their heart in your hands at risk for what usually amounts to a worthless ass booty call.

When it comes to a woman’s right to use oral contraception, to have or not to have a child we have to remember that these are choices that should neither be taken lightly or selfishly. Over the years this discussion has been one that has divided households and left us playing GOD. I believe that every life should have the right to become a life and live. However, I do not profess to know all the answers and I feel that sometimes we get so caught up in pushing our own agendas to the point that no one is listening to each other and the real problems and consequences are never addressed.

We as Americans have a very beautiful and rewarding life in that we actually have the opportunities to vote and weigh in on most subjects and laws that we are governed by. An opportunity that most people in other countries would never ever have the power to do. Yet we take these privileges for granted. Those of us deemed as the rich and powerful use them to take advantage of those that are not as economically advantaged to lay down our own “Law of the Land” and create a freedom that we dictate based on our own prejudices and beliefs.